Speeding bus hits car, 2 other buses on Edsa

A doctor was burned beyond recognition when his luxury car burst into flames after being hit from behind by a speeding passenger bus on Edsa in Quezon City early yesterday.

The Mercedes Benz (NFH-602) burst into flames while Dr. Francisco Sarabia, owner of the Sarabia optical clinic in Riverbanks, Marikina City, was still inside, preventing bystanders from rescuing him.

 “The strong impact might have caused a spark inside the car’s engine that eventually led to the flames,” Superintendent Norberto Babagay, chief of the Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Quezon City Police District, told reporters in an interview.

Sarabia’s body “could not be recognized” when he was recovered from the sedan after the fire was put out, Inspector Erlito Renegin said.

Sarabia, 52, belonged to a clan operating a chain of optical clinics all over the country. Losar Optics Inc. human resources supervisor Christian Bonquin said the clinics operate separately but have an association headed by Sarabia’s cousin, Federico Sarabia, who owns Losar Optics. The driver of the passenger bus, Martinito Madrid, 34, surrendered to the police hours after the incident.

“He (Madrid) is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property,” Babagay said.

The incident happened at 3:15 a.m. on the northbound lane of Edsa in front of Camp Aguinaldo.

According to Babagay, Madrid, who drove a Joanna Jesh Bus (TYG-660), “appeared to be racing with” another bus (TXE-812) of the same liner just before the incident happened.

At one point, the driver of the other bus stepped on the brake pedal, prompting Madrid to swerve his vehicle to the right to avoid hitting the other passenger bus.

But Madrid did not notice that the Mercedes Benz driven by Sarabia was in front of him. As the bus hit Sarabia’s car, the smaller vehicle was propelled forward several meters and spun around twice. 

Following the collision with the Benz, Madrid’s bus hit the rear of a Commuter Bus Liner unit picking up passengers at a nearby loading bay, then swerved to the left and hit the front right portion of the other Joanna Jesh Bus unit.

Domingo dela Tongga, a passenger who got off the Commuter Bus, was able to pull out Sarabia’s passenger, Henny Garcia, moments before the Benz burst into flames. Babagay said Garcia was initially brought to the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) for treatment but was eventually transferred to the St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Two others, Salvador and Ligaya de Guzman, were injured in the collision and were brought to the EAMC. The De Guzmans were passengers in Madrid’s bus, which had about 20 passengers when the accident happened, Babagay said.

Renegin told The STAR that it took about 15 minutes for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority personnel to put out the flames that engulfed the Mercedez Benz.

Babagay said the incident caused a traffic jam for about an hour as authorities cleared the area.

According to Madrid, he was driving at 80 kilometers per hour when the incident happened. But according to Babagay, the downward slope in that part of Edsa where the accident occurred might have caused the bus to run faster.

Madrid denied initial reports that he went into hiding after the incident happened. He said he planned to turn himself in at the Philippine National Police headquarters at Camp Crame, which is also near the site of the mishap.

He eventually decided to go to their bus liner’s office in Taguig City before surrendering himself to the police at around 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Thompson Lantion suspended yesterday the franchises of the two Joanna Jesh buses and the Commuter bus involved in yesterday’s incident pending the results of an investigation into the crash.

“We have summoned the operators to explain why their franchises should not be cancelled,” he told The STAR. – With Perseus Echeminada